# List of NFL career rushing touchdowns leaders

This is a list of National Football League (NFL) running backs by total career rushing touchdowns. This list includes all running backs with at least 75.
Emmitt Smith is the all-time leader with 164. He also leads in postseason touchdowns with 19. Cam Newton is the only quarterback in this list.

## Players with at least 75 touchdowns

Key :
| ^ | Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| * | Denotes player who is still active |
Through the 2024 season
| Rank | Player | Team(s) by season | Touchdowns |
| 1 | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1990–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 164 |
| 2 | LaDainian Tomlinson$^^$ | San Diego Chargers (2001–2009) New York Jets (2010–2011) | 145 |
| 3 | Marcus Allen$^^$ | Los Angeles Raiders (1982–1992) Kansas City Chiefs (1993–1997) | 123 |
| 4 | Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings (2007–2016) New Orleans Saints (2017) Arizona Cardinals (2017) Washington Redskins (2018–2019) Detroit Lions (2020) Tennessee Titans (2021) Seattle Seahawks (2021) | 120 |
| 5 | Walter Payton$^^$ | Chicago Bears (1975–1987) | 110 |
| 6 | Jim Brown$^^$ | Cleveland Browns (1957–1965) | 106 |
| 6 | Derrick Henry$^*$ | Tennessee Titans (2016–2023) Baltimore Ravens (2024–present) | 106 |
| 8 | John Riggins$^^$ | New York Jets (1971–1975) Washington Redskins (1976–1985) | 104 |
| 9 | Shaun Alexander | Seattle Seahawks (2000–2007) Washington Redskins (2008) | 100 |
| 9 | Marshall Faulk$^^$ | Indianapolis Colts (1994–1998) St. Louis Rams (1999–2005) | 100 |
| 11 | Barry Sanders$^^$ | Detroit Lions (1989–1998) | 99 |
| 12 | Jerome Bettis$^^$ | Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (1993–1995) Pittsburgh Steelers (1996–2005) | 91 |
| 12 | Franco Harris$^^$ | Pittsburgh Steelers (1972–1983) Seattle Seahawks (1984) | 91 |
| 14 | Eric Dickerson$^^$ | Los Angeles Rams (1983–1987) Indianapolis Colts (1987–1991) Los Angeles Raiders (1992) Atlanta Falcons (1993) | 90 |
| 14 | Curtis Martin$^^$ | New England Patriots (1995–1997) New York Jets (1998–2005) | 90 |
| 16 | Priest Holmes | Baltimore Ravens (1997–2000) Kansas City Chiefs (2001–2007) | 86 |
| 17 | Marshawn Lynch | Buffalo Bills (2007–2010) Seattle Seahawks (2010–2015, 2019) Oakland Raiders (2017–2018) | 85 |
| 18 | Jim Taylor$^^$ | Green Bay Packers (1958–1966) New Orleans Saints (1967) | 83 |
| 19 | Corey Dillon | Cincinnati Bengals (1997–2003) New England Patriots (2004–2006) | 82 |
| 20 | Ottis Anderson | St. Louis Cardinals (1979–1986) New York Giants (1986–1992) | 81 |
| 20 | Frank Gore | San Francisco 49ers (2005–2014) Indianapolis Colts (2015–2017) Miami Dolphins (2018) Buffalo Bills (2019) New York Jets (2020) | 81 |
| 22 | Edgerrin James$^^$ | Indianapolis Colts (1999–2005) Arizona Cardinals (2006–2008) Seattle Seahawks (2009) | 80 |
| 23 | Ricky Watters | San Francisco 49ers (1992–1994) Philadelphia Eagles (1995–1997) Seattle Seahawks (1998–2001) | 78 |
| 24 | Tony Dorsett$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1977–1987) Denver Broncos (1988) | 77 |
| 25 | Pete Johnson | Cincinnati Bengals (1976–1983) Miami Dolphins (1984) San Diego Chargers (1984) | 76 |
| 26 | Cam Newton | Carolina Panthers (2011–2019, 2021) New England Patriots (2020) | 75 |
| 26 | Clinton Portis | Denver Broncos (2002–2003) Washington Redskins (2004–2010) | 75 |

## Players with at least 10 postseason rushing touchdowns

Through end of 2024 playoffs
| Rank | Player | Team(s) by season | Touchdowns |
| 1 | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1990–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 19 |
| 2 | Franco Harris$^^$ | Pittsburgh Steelers (1972–1983) Seattle Seahawks (1984) | 16 |
| 2 | Thurman Thomas$^^$ | Buffalo Bills (1988–1999) Miami Dolphins (2000) | 16 |
| 4 | Terrell Davis$^^$ | Denver Broncos (1995–2001) | 12 |
| 4 | Marshawn Lynch | Buffalo Bills (2007–2010) Seattle Seahawks (2010–2015, 2019) Oakland Raiders (2017–2018) | 12 |
| 4 | John Riggins$^^$ | New York Jets (1971–1975) Washington Redskins (1976–1985) | 12 |
| 7 | Marcus Allen$^^$ | Los Angeles Raiders (1982–1992) Kansas City Chiefs (1993–1997) | 11 |
| 7 | LeGarrette Blount | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010–2012) New England Patriots (2013, 2014–2016) Pittsburgh Steelers (2014) Philadelphia Eagles (2017) Detroit Lions (2018) | 11 |
| 9 | Jalen Hurts$^*$ | Philadelphia Eagles (2020–present) | 10 |

## Historical rushing touchdowns leaders

Fifteen players are recognised as having held outright or tied the record as the NFL's career rushing touchdowns leader. Both Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith have held the record for over 20 years.
| Reign | Player | Team(s) while leader | Career rushing touchdowns | Season(s) |
| 1921 | Fritz Pollard$^^$ | Akron Pros | 6 | 1921 |
| 1922 | Earl Cramer | Akron Pros | 10 | 1922 |
| 1923 | Jimmy Conzelman$^^$ | Milwaukee Badgers | 11 | 1923 |
| 1924 | Doc Elliott | Cleveland Bulldogs | 14 | 1924 |
| 1925–1926 (2 years) | Tex Hamer | Frankford Yellow Jackets | 17 | 1925 |
| 1925–1926 (2 years) | Tex Hamer | Frankford Yellow Jackets | 19 | 1926 |
| Tied 1926 | Ben Jones | Frankford Yellow Jackets | 19 | 1926 |
| 1927–1929 (3 years) | Paddy Driscoll$^^$ | Chicago Bears | 22 | 1927 |
| 1927–1929 (3 years) | Paddy Driscoll$^^$ | Chicago Bears | 24 | 1928 |
| 1927–1929 (3 years) | Paddy Driscoll$^^$ | Chicago Bears | 25 | 1929 |
| 1930 | Verne Lewellen | Green Bay Packers | 31 | 1930 |
| 1931–1947 (17 years) | Ernie Nevers$^^$ | Chicago Cardinals | 38 | 1931–1947 |
| Tied 1947 | Steve Van Buren$^^$ | Philadelphia Eagles | 38 | 1947 |
| 1948–1960 (14 years) | Steve Van Buren$^^$ | Philadelphia Eagles | 48 | 1948 |
| 1948–1960 (14 years) | Steve Van Buren$^^$ | Philadelphia Eagles | 59 | 1949 |
| 1948–1960 (14 years) | Steve Van Buren$^^$ | Philadelphia Eagles | 63 | 1950 |
| 1948–1960 (14 years) | Steve Van Buren$^^$ | Philadelphia Eagles | 69 | 1951–1960 |
| 1961–1962 (2 years) | Joe Perry$^^$ | Baltimore Colts | 71 | 1961–1962 |
| 1963–1987 (24 years) | Jim Brown$^^$ | Cleveland Browns | 82 | 1963 |
| 1963–1987 (24 years) | Jim Brown$^^$ | Cleveland Browns | 89 | 1964 |
| 1963–1987 (24 years) | Jim Brown$^^$ | Cleveland Browns | 106 | 1965–1986 |
| Tied 1986 | Walter Payton$^^$ | Chicago Bears | 106 | 1986 |
| 1987–1995 (10 years) | Walter Payton$^^$ | Chicago Bears | 110 | 1987–1995 |
| 1996–1997 (2 years) | Marcus Allen$^^$ | Kansas City Chiefs | 112 | 1996 |
| 1996–1997 (2 years) | Marcus Allen$^^$ | Kansas City Chiefs | 123 | 1997 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 125 | 1998 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 136 | 1999 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 145 | 2000 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 148 | 2001 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 153 | 2002 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 155 | 2003 |
| Since 1998 (27 years) | Emmitt Smith$^^$ | Dallas Cowboys (1998–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 164 | Since 2004 |